


Silver Lining

by grumpyhanson



Category: Game Grumps
Genre: First Kiss, Getting Together, Multi, Mutual Pining, Touring, Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 19:33:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12372552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grumpyhanson/pseuds/grumpyhanson
Summary: The close quarters of the European tour are setting Dan a bit on edge, and the tension just seems to be getting worse and worse.





	Silver Lining

**Author's Note:**

> This is probably the most self-indulgent thing I've ever written, mostly based off of [this picture.](https://instagram.com/p/BZ6MX_nAhL1/) Thank you Dan for providing me with this content. I am fueled for the the next 500 years.

Dan watched as the scenery moved by, paying less attention to what they were actually passing than the colors of the sunset that painted the sky. The horizon was bathed in pinks and purples and oranges, and Dan felt himself become captivated by it. His earbuds were tucked snuggly in his ears, playing a playlist he had made specifically for this tour, a mix of some of his favorite songs. The volume was on low and he could hear his own faint humming along with the beats of the music, but he didn’t mind. 

He was sitting in one of the tour bus seats, tucked up against the window, a blanket wrapped tightly around his shoulders. The faint rocking of the bus was lulling him into a state of relaxation, and he was tempted to fall asleep, even though he knew he shouldn’t. They all had to be up relatively early, which meant that falling asleep now and taking a nap would most definitely be a bad idea. 

A particularly big bump startled him out of his thoughts and he let out a small noise as his forehead smacked against the window. The others in the bus voiced their annoyance as well but it quickly went back to the silence that had been encompassing them from earlier. 

Now a bit more awake, Dan looked away from the window and to the others. He knew Brent was on driving duty, and that Vernon and Jack were probably taking some much needed rest in the back room since they could get away with it. Through the faint singing in his earbuds he heard a quiet conversation between Sean and Signe, the two of them curled up next to each other in the seats behind him. 

Dan’s eyes then fell to Arin and Suzy, who were seated across from him. They were tucked up against each other too, sharing a pair of earbuds, watching something on Suzy’s tablet. They were both smiling faintly at the screen, laughing quietly every so often, sharing few words. Dan stared for a few moments, something in his chest seizing up. He furrowed his eyebrows a bit and cocked his head, eyes still lingering. 

After a couple of moments, Arin looked up and met Dan’s eyes, the faint smile on his face quickly turning into a look of concern at the expression on Dan’s face. He raised an eyebrow as a silent question, and Dan just shook his head in response, eyes moving back to look out the window, tightening the blanket around himself. Arin’s frown deepened and he watched Dan carefully for a moment, before turning back to what he and Suzy were watching.

Once Dan was sure Arin wasn’t looking at him anymore, he let out a small sigh, closing his eyes and letting the sound of the music coming from his headphones wash over him.

-

This extensive European trip was nothing but amazing. Dan got the opportunity to see places he had never seen before, meet tons of different kinds of people, experience cultures he never had, and play shows in places he had never played before, all the while getting to experience it all with some of his best friends. And on top of it, he got to hang out with Sean and Signe, who he rarely got to see. 

The vast greenery of most of Europe was absolutely gorgeous and Dan often found himself marvelling over it at all of their stops, reveling in nature and just how much life was around him compared to the dryness of most of California. 

Here he was now, wandering along the corridors of a castle somewhere in the United Kingdom, looking in awe at every little detail, admiring the architecture and the paintings and the decorations. He lagged behind the group, so enraptured with everything that he had stopped paying attention to what the tour guide had been saying. A particular painting caught his eye and he stopped in his tracks, looking over the details with wide eyes.

“Hey, man. Whatcha doing?” Arin asked quietly, not wanting to startle Dan.

Dan jumped a bit, not knowing that Arin had lagged behind as well, but continued to stare at the painting. “Just looking. This place has some amazing art.”

Arin hummed in agreement and they fell silent for another moment or two before Arin spoke up again. 

“Hey, uh, Dan?”

Dan looked away from the painting this time and met Arin’s eyes, heart beating a bit faster once he realized Arin had been staring at him, a concerned look on his face. 

“Yeah?”

“Are you doing okay? You’ve been awfully quiet and kinda… distant, these past few days,” Arin said, placing a hand on Dan’s shoulder. 

Dan looked down to Arin’s hand, then back up to Arin, sighing lightly. 

“Yeah, I’m doing alright. Just a bit tired. As awesome as all of this is, it’s taking a lot out of me, man. I’ll be alright, I promise,” Dan said, giving Arin a small smile.

Arin looked Dan over carefully for a moment, before giving a smile back, letting his hand drop from Dan’s shoulder. Dan said nothing, but found himself missing the small bit of contact.

“Alright. I’m here for you if you need me, though. You know that. Let’s get back to the group, yeah? I think we’re about ready to head out, grab some lunch or something,” Arin said cheerfully, linking elbows with Dan and dragging him along. Dan stumbled over his own feet from suddenly being tugged off balance, but laughed and shook his head, mumbling something about Arin being ridiculous.

They didn’t let go until the reached the others.

-

Dan let out a big sigh as he collapsed onto the hotel bed, letting himself sink into the softness of the comforter. They had just gotten to their next destination after a particularly long day of driving, and Dan’s back was aching from sitting up in the seats for so long. They had a lucky night off from shows, and while Dan was perfectly fine taking the night to relax and exploring the city tomorrow, the others all wanted to go out, leaving Dan with some peace and quiet in an empty room. 

A few minutes passed until Dan forced himself to get up, slipping his shoes off and changing into some pajamas, a simple t-shirt and his boxers, before climbing into bed. He wrapped his arms around a pillow and propped his phone up, pulling up some random show to watch to keep himself awake a little longer. 

As the sun sunk further and further against the horizon, and the sky soon turned dark, Dan found his eyelids growing heavier and heavier. He shuffled and rubbed at his eyes with his hands, plugging his phone in and resting it on the nightstand next to his bed. 

Right as he was about to flip the lamp off for the night, there was a soft knock at his door. Dan sighed and slid out of bed, sliding on his glasses and peeking through the peephole on the door, smiling once he saw it was Suzy.

Dan opened the door and smiled down at her, Suzy mimicking his grin back up at him. She was all bundled up in her jacket and scarf, her cheeks tinted a slight pink. Her hair was down, falling over her shoulders and framing her face beautifully. Dan couldn’t help but stare at her for a moment before snapping out of his daze, hoping that she hadn’t noticed him staring at her. He gave her a nervous smile, cheeks flushing slightly, but she said nothing, simply smirking at him.

“Can I come in?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him. Dan jumped a bit in response and quickly moved back, opening the door for her.

“Yeah, sorry. I was just about to sleep so I’m a bit out of it,” he said, moving to sit cross-legged on top of his bed, leaving her to shut the door behind herself.

Suzy hummed in acknowledgment, not quite believing him, but not questioning it either. Once she shut the door she walked over to the bed as well, sitting down next to Dan, legs crossed, a small bag on her lap. 

“Everyone else is still out shopping and looking around and probably will be for a bit more, but I decided to just come back for the night,” she said. “The city is gorgeous.”

Dan smiled at her, adjusting his glasses on his face. “I bet. I’m excited to go looking around tomorrow. Hopefully not everyone is sick of it by then,” he laughed, and Suzy shook her head. 

“Nah, of course not. Especially Arin. He’ll love to show you some of the spots we found tonight. He found a cute little shop we thought you would love. He can show you tomorrow. It’s got a bunch of cute little trinkets and old books,” she said. 

Dan’s cheeks flushed at that and his heart skipped a beat as a wave of affection washed over him. He gasped a little bit but covered it up with a cough, making her laugh quietly.

“Uh, wow, that’s very flattering, thank you,” he said, smiling at her shyly. “I’d love to see it.”

Suzy then held up the small bag in her lap, smiling broadly. “I actually got something for you already from there, but if you don’t like it we can return it tomorrow.” She handed him the bag and he took it carefully, looking down at it, then back at her. She made a go-on motion and he reached his hand into it, cautiously pulling out what felt like a chain.

Dan held the chain in his palm looking it over. It was a plain silver chain with a ring hanging from it, the ring also silver but made of knots. It was simple but gorgeous, and Dan absolutely adored it. He grinned down at it, then his gaze shot up to Suzy, but she was already smiling at him.

“I love it, thank you so much. This is totally something up my alley,” he said, looking down at it again, spinning it around. 

Suzy laughed and leaned over to give him a side hug, as Dan wrapped his arms around her as well, holding her close. 

“You’re very welcome. We thought it suited you, and we just wanted to get it for you. The store has a bunch of stuff like that. Do you want me to help you put in on?” she asked, getting a nod in response. 

Dan handed her the necklace and he held his hair to the side, looking down at his chest as she draped it over him. Her fingertips brushed the back of his neck softly, making goosebumps form on his skin. Once it was clipped in place he smiled again and wrapped his hand around it, turning to look her in the eyes again.

“Thank you again, I seriously love it.”

Suzy smiled and patted him on the leg before standing up and making her way back toward the door. “You’re welcome. See you in the morning, yeah?”

“Yeah, definitely,” he said.

She gave him one last wave before leaving the room. Dan flopped back onto the bed, hand still on his necklace, over his rapidly beating heart.

He was so fucked.

-

The next afternoon, Dan and Arin were sat at a little coffee shop next to a park, the two of them sipping slowly on some warm drinks. They were huddled at a tiny table in the corner or the courtyard, looking over the park and watching as the people walked by. They had spent all morning wandering around the local shops, and the shop Suzy had mentioned definitely had not disappointed. Dan had spent nearly two hours in there, excitedly showing Arin all of the cool things he had found, with Arin laughing and agreeing with him, watching Dan fondly. 

The air was crisp and they had already had lunch, so they had decided to stop for a quick drink to wind down before having to head out for the show that night, taking the time to just relax and enjoy each other’s company. 

Dan sipped on his tea and watched Arin carefully. Arin’s nose was turning a bit pink from the cold, and he ran his tongue over his lips to catch a stray drop of drink, Dan’s eyes following the movement closely. Arin then took another sip of his drink, eyes focused on the scenery in front of them. The park was filled with many different kinds of flowers and plants, with the occasional squirrel running through the trees or across the grass. Dan admired the way Arin watched all of it with such intent, taking in every detail like he wanted to commit it to memory.

“Thanks for taking me to that shop today, Arin,” Dan said softly, making Arin snap out of his daze and look to Dan.

Arin smiled softly and leaned over to nudge Dan’s shoulder with his own. “No problem, man. I knew you would love it. Thanks for letting me show it to you,” Arin said. 

Dan smiled back, and Arin scooted closer to Dan so their chairs were right next to each other, linking arms with Dan like he did at the castle, leaning over to rest his head on Dan’s shoulder. Dan froze at this but relaxed into the touch after a moment, abandoning holding his tea with both hands in favor of sliding one into Arin’s, linking their fingers together. 

Arin let out a shaky, almost nervous, sigh at the gesture but gave Dan’s hand a squeeze, making Dan smile softly, the two of them spending the last few minutes of their free time gazing out at the park, hands linked.

-

The tension was nearly suffocating Dan at this point. He knew it wasn’t nearly as bad as he assumed, or maybe he was just overreacting, but it was hard to think rationally when your heart would beat a mile a minute when either one of your best friends even glanced at you. 

Each smile from Suzy, or playful shove or hug from Arin, or even just look from either of them had Dan losing his train of thought, mind melting to jelly.

Deep down, Dan knew there was something there. Something more than they were all talking about. There always had been but these constant close quarters seemed to be bringing it out better than anything else ever had.

Even though he knew this, and every part of him was screaming and begging to make a move, Dan couldn’t bring himself to. The crushing fear of possibly losing two of his best friends and two of the best and most amazing people he had ever met was the only thing stopping him from doing something about the ever-rising tension.

So now here he was, sitting at dinner with the two of them and the rest of the group, trying to act nonchalant while his mind was waging a war with itself. He sat and picked at his food, mostly staying out of the conversation aside from the occasional remark or two. He had managed to pass it off as being tired, but nothing could escape Suzy’s gaze.

She watched him carefully throughout the whole meal, glancing to him every so often, frown growing deeper each time. Dan knew she’d corner him after dinner, and he dreaded the pending conversation, even though he knew it had to happen at some point. 

-

Suzy didn’t end up striking until way later in the evening, when Dan was nearly ready for bed, sprawled out on his hotel bed reading a book he had picked up at that store. There was a knock at his door and he groaned inwardly, even though he knew this was coming. He placed his bookmark in his book and slid out of bed, tugging on some pajama pants before opening the door, not even bothering to check the peephole. 

Arin and Suzy were standing there, both in pajamas themselves, smiling at him. Both of them had their hair pulled up into a small ponytail, random shirts to go with random sweatpants.

“Yes?” Dan asked after a moment of them all just staring at each other, hoping to feign innocence.

“Can we come in?” Arin asked, raising an eyebrow at him. 

Dan stared at them for a moment before sighing, shoulders slumping. He moved out of the way so they could come in, moving to sit on the bed, leaving them to stand in front of him, shoulder to shoulder, making Dan feel like a little kid about to be yelled at by their parents.

“You’ve been acting a bit weird lately, we wanted to know what was up,” Suzy said softly.

Dan grimaced a bit and looked down at his lap. Things were quiet for a moment before he looked up again, the two of them still staring at him intently, small smiles on their faces.

“Are you really gonna make me say it? Don’t you already know what’s going on?” he asked, frowning slightly, lips pursing.

“We just wanna hear you say it,” Arin said, raising an eyebrow at Dan, and Suzy scowled at Arin. She nudged him in the arm, but didn’t say anything to follow it, looking back to Dan expectantly. 

Dan groaned and leaned back, covering his face with his hands. “Fine, fine. I may or may not have a big, dumb, stupid crush on the both of you, and that scares the shit out of me. You two mean the absolute world to me and I don’t know what I would do without you both in my life,” he said, voice slightly mumbled.

He didn’t look up after that, choosing to keep himself in the dark for a couple more precious moments, but after a few seconds he felt Arin climb on the bed next to him, sitting by Dan’s head. Dan felt Arin’s hands come up and cover his own, taking his hands away from his face so he could look up at Arin, seeing Arin smiling down at him softly. Dan started up at him warily.

“Did you really not think that we both felt the same way?” Arin asked quietly, and Dan’s eyes widened. He started up at Arin for a moment before feeling Suzy climb onto the bed as well, on the other side of Dan’s head, looking down at him as well. 

“Really..? The both of you?” Dan asked, eyes still wide, looking back and forth between Arin and Suzy. 

Suzy laughed and maneuvered so the could lean over and cup Dan’s cheeks, rubbing them softly with her thumbs. “Yes, you idiot. We both have a big, dumb, stupid crush on you too.”

That got Dan to laugh a bit, but he was overwhelmed with relief and affection, hands coming up to cover his face again, eyes welling up and a choked noise slipping past his lips.

“Oh, oh jeez, Dan, don’t cry,” Arin said, laughing a bit, but running a hand through Dan’s hair, hoping to calm him down a bit.

“It’s happy crying, I promise,” Dan said, laughing as well. He finally pulled his hands away from his face, eyes meeting Arin and Suzy’s, who were still staring down at him fondly.

Dan sat up and turned around, leaning forward to wrap his arms around the both of them, holding onto them tightly, hands fisted into both of their shirts.

“I love you both. So much. You make me so happy,” Dan said quietly, nuzzling his face into Arin’s neck, feeling Suzy press a kiss to the top of his head. He turned his head to come face to face with her, pressing a tentative kiss to her lips, then leaning back to drag Arin into a light kiss as well, heart pounding in his chest, cheeks hurting from smiling so hard.

They’d figure out all the details and intricacies later, but for now they were content just spending time with one another, relishing in the company.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and things are greatly appreciated :-)


End file.
